Bad Attitude (album) explained

Bad Attitude
Type:	studio
Artist:	Meat Loaf
Cover:	Meat Loaf Bad Attitude.jpg
Released:	November 2, 1984 (UK)^[1] April 1985 (US)
Recorded:	April–August 1984
Genre:	Hard rock
Length:	39:18
Label:	Arista (Europe) RCA (US)
Producer:	Alan Shacklock (original recordings), Paul Jacobs, Meat Loaf, Mack
Prev Title:	Midnight at the Lost and Found
Prev Year:	1983
Next Title:	Blind Before I Stop
Next Year:	1986

Bad Attitude is the fourth studio album by American singer Meat Loaf, released in November 1984. Recorded in Britain, it features two songs by Jim Steinman, both previously recorded, and a duet with Roger Daltrey. According to Meat Loaf's autobiography, he approached Steinman about writing the entire album, but waiting for new songs wound up taking so long that Meat Loaf recorded two previously released Steinman songs and moved on with other writers.^[2] The album concentrates more on the hard rock side of Meat Loaf, was a minor success around the globe and released a few hit singles, the most successful being "Modern Girl".

The US release in April 1985 from RCA Records features a slightly different track listing as well as alternate mixes for some songs. The 1993 CD reissue for the USA and Canada keeps the different track listing but has the same mixes from the UK/Europe version.

The 30th anniversary reissue by Cherry Red Records, released in 2014, contains only the original UK track listing and mixes.^[3]

Track listing

1985 US version

Personnel

Production (US release only)

• Meat Loaf, Paul Jacobs, Bob Kulick — remixing (1, 2, 4, 5, 7)
• Harvey Goldberg — remixing (1, 2, 7)
• Josh Abbey — remixing (4)
• Tony Taverner — remixing (5)
• Mack — remixing (6)
• Simon Sullivan — extra recordings

Arrangements

• Paul Buckmaster, Paul Jacobs — string arrangements

Band

All track numbers based on UK listing. Adjust according to US release as necessary when referring to said list above.

• Meat Loaf — lead vocals
• Bob Kulick — guitars
• Paul Vincent — guitars (4, 6)
• John Siegler — bass
• Mo Foster — bass (5)
• Paul Jacobs — piano, keyboards, backing vocals
• Steve Rance — Fairlight programming
• Ronnie Asprey — saxophone (7)
• Wells Kelly — drums, percussion, backing vocals
• Curt Cress — drums (4)
• Frank Ricotti — percussion (3, 6)
• Roger Daltrey — additional lead vocals (1)
• Clare Torry — additional lead vocals (2), backing vocals
• Zee Carling — additional lead vocals (6)
• Stephanie de Sykes — backing vocals

Singles

in Europe, "Modern Girl" (UK #17), "Nowhere Fast" (UK #67), and "Piece of the Action" (UK #47) were released as singles with extended mixes and exclusive songs: "Take a Number", "Stand by Me" (a Ben E. King cover) and "Clap Your Hands". The latter two songs were recorded during the sessions for the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack. "Surf's Up" was released as a US single and "Sailor to a Siren" was released as a double A-side with "Modern Girl".

Notes and References

1. Web site: BPI certifications for Meat Loaf.
2. A version of "Nowhere Fast" with alternate lyrics appears in the movie Streets of Fire, performed by the band Fire Inc.
3. Web site: Give Me the Future: Hear No Evil Label Reissues Meat Loaf's "Bad Attitude" for 30th Anniversary - the Second Disc. 28 May 2014.
4. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970 - 1992. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, New South Wales. 1993. 196. 0-646-11917-6.